U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese Says There’s No Cease-Fire in Gaza

The Israeli government in 2024 declared Albanese, an Italian national and a human rights lawyer, to be persona non grata and banned her from entering the country. Albanese was also sanctioned by the Trump administration this July for engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its “efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Albanese of antisemitism and said she’s “unfit” for her role.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has been among the most prominent and outspoken critics of Israel and its allies over the war in Gaza—which she’s described as a “full-fledged genocide”—and she’s made powerful enemies because of it.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has been among the most prominent and outspoken critics of Israel and its allies over the war in Gaza—which she’s described as a “full-fledged genocide”—and she’s made powerful enemies because of it.

The Israeli government in 2024 declared Albanese, an Italian national and a human rights lawyer, to be persona non grata and banned her from entering the country. Albanese was also sanctioned by the Trump administration this July for engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its “efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Albanese of antisemitism and said she’s “unfit” for her role.

Top rights groups and the United Nations have condemned the U.S. sanctions against Albanese, describing them as a blatant effort to silence a human rights expert for doing her job.

Though being sanctioned has had rippling and daily consequences for Albanese, she has not slowed down in pushing for Israel and its backers to be held accountable.